Portable can-flange straightener.



F. RUDOLPH].

PORTABLE CAN FLANGE STRAIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FI LED JAN-12.1914.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

Inuerdar 770.11 It lfu, vial 1 5,

sar PAT N FRANK RunoLr'HI, or MONTCLAIR, ivnw a'nnsnv, nssierto t no AMERICAN can COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., a CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

" roia'rABLE CAN-FLANGE srnAIer-IrENEn.

Patented Sept. 'Y, 1%15.

llpplicationfiledJanuarylg,1914. Seriaillo.8il,599.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK RnnoLrIrI, a citizen oi the vUnited States, residing in ll'lontclair, in the county of Essexand State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful improvement in Portable Can-Flange Straighteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in portable can flange straighteners.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable, hand-operated device of simple construction and comprising few parts adapted for straightening and truingflanges of sheet metal cans and one so arranged that the parts thereof may be readily interchanged for others of different size to adapt the device for straightening flanges of cans of different diameters, y

The invention furthermore consists in the improvements in the parts and devices and in the novel combinations of the parts and devices herein shown, described or claimed.

in the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a straightener embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the straightener, this view being upon a larger scale than the perspective view of Fig. 1..

Fig. 3 is a'vertical section view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2, and Fig. l is a detail of the striker plate, detached.

In said drawing the flange straightener is shown as comprising a base 10 having a raised portion 11 in which is mounted a pin 12 having an enlarged top portion 13 on which is loosely mounted an anvil A, the latter being held in place by means of a cap 1% secured to the top of the pin by screw 15. 1 1e anvil A. comprises a tapered, upper centering portion 16 and an annular shoulder 17 on which the flange 18 of the can is adapted to rest, the cans being placed on the anvil by hand, one at a time, and the tapered portion 16 serving to properly position the cans thereon. Coiiperable with the anvil A is a striker designated generally by the reference B, the same comprising a wing 19 pivoted in two brackets 20 formed in tegral with the base 10, said wing having an upwardly extending projection 21 carrying a handle 22 by which it is operated. The wing 19 is curved on its front face, as shown at 23, andis recessed on its under side as at 24. Secured in the recess 24 by suitable bolts 25 is a striking plate 26, the same having a circular contour, as indicated at 27 and corresponding to the curvature of the can being straightened.

For convenience in carrying the device from place to place, the base is provided vith a handle ZSand also secured to the base is a small piece of pipe 29 on which the can bodies may be placed and hammered to removeflany.dents in. the sides'of the can body, the piece of pipe 29 serving as an anvil for this purpose.

its shown in. the drawing, the striking plate 26 is of the same form on its top and bottom faces so that the same may be reversed relatively to the wing 19 to thereby use both sides and double the life of the plate. The striker, as a whole, is also detachably pivoted to the brackets 20 so that it may be interchanged for others of difierent sire, thus adapting the device for operat- .ing on cans of different diameters.

Although have herein shown and desc. what lZ now consider the preferred embodiment of my improvement, yet it will be understoood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all such changes and. modifications are contemplated as come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

The wing 19 is provided with a rearwardly extended lug 30 which engages with the base 10 upon the backward movement of the handle 22 to thereby limit its throw.

I claim: v

1. A can flange straightener, including, in combination: a base; an anvil removably at tached to the base, said anvil being formed with an upwardly extending middle portion the bottom of which is substantially the same diameter as that of the cans to be operated on, and of substantially the same contour, and formed with an annular shoulder extending out from the bottom of the said middle portion for a distance substantially as great as the width of a can flange; a free wing pivotally mounted on the base, its pivot being at a distance from said shoulder; a striker plate attached tothe wing with the bottom of its operative edge arranged to coincide with the plane of a segment of the surface of the shoulder of the anvil; and a free lever connected with the wing and having a hand-hold at a distance from the base, said anvil being formedwith an up I Wardly tapering middle portion the bottom 7, of which is of substantially the same diam eter as" that ofthe cans to be operated on, and ofsubstantially thesame contour, and "formed with an annular shoulder extending out from the bottom of the said tapering portion'for a distance substantially as great as thewidth of a can flange; a free wing pivotally mounted on the base its pivot being at a, distance from and at substantially the same height as said shoulder; a striker plate removably attached to the wing with the bottom of its operative edge arranged to coincide with the plate of substantially one half of the surface of the shoulder of the anvil and a free lever connected with the wing and having a hand-hold at a distance from the pivot of chewing; whereby the striker plate may be caused to strike an abrupt and heavy blow on a can flange resting on the anvil shoulder.

Signed this 7th day of January, 1914, in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK RUD OLPHI.

Witnesses:

- C. W. GRAHAM, W. D. FOSTER.

i Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

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